@christina
Active 5 years, 1 month agoForum Replies Created
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FFR helps you become aware and equipped in all areas of life. Including mentally. Your mental health is just as much a part of your physical health as the rest of your body. Don’t miss out on the huge benefits FFR can provide in your life in this area. Check out our videos under the resources tab and utilize access to your FFR counselor. You are enough! You are a hero!
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Christopher you bring up a great topic! Sleep disruption and deprivation are a big concern in the first responder population. Yes the recommended amount of sleep by most doctors is between 7 to 9 hours. The most important part being restful sleep. A person needs to be in the REM stage of sleep to allow for the body and brain to recover from the day. My advice on improving sleep is multi-layered. First I ask people to look at their before sleep routine. About an hour before you are wanting to be asleep what are you doing? If it does not have to do with preparing your body for sleep it doesn’t need to happen. The brain will interpret light as a cue to stay awake so all screens should be off, lights should be turned down, and all unnecessary sound should be off. What are you thinking about? If it isn’t calming or something that engages limited emotional response, choose to focus your thoughts on something else. YOU GET A CHOICE IN WHAT YOU FOCUS ON! Example: Don’t play your day, argument with your ex, etc. in your mind. Instead listen to guided meditation, ocean waves, or sleep sounds. What is your environment like? Men tend to struggle to sleep well if their room is cluttered and messy. We all tend to sleep better in a cooler environment. If your pillow or mattress is uncomfortable or old it can cause frequent waking. If children or animals are sleeping in the bed with you it can cause your sleep cycle to be disrupted. Are there any physical factors that need to be considered? Do you have acid reflux that causes you to wake up, or have sleep apnea. Do you have chronic pain causing your sleep to be disrupted. Do you have a vitamin or hormone level deficiency causing you to feel tired during the day. Are you taking in too much caffeine during the day and too close to bed. You can have a sleep study done by your doctor and labs done by your doctor. Check in with other FFR staff about nutrition tips to help increase energy in a healthy way during the day. Also setting boundaries where you can to ensure you aren’t taking on shifts when you actually can say no. I understand so many places are understaffed and under payed. Just make sure you are being real with yourself when you make choices with your time because you are a hero and you are worth taking care of!
Christina Walker
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